I found a recipe that is adaptable for use with almost any vegetables you have on hand! It is easy to assemble and can showcase your own creativity. I really love how the batter mixture creates a bed enveloping your vegetables into a cohesive dish. What fun!

The recipe I altered from Food & Wine called for carrots, onions, tomatoes and green beans. I didn’t have green beans on hand so I made it with fennel instead. I can’t wait to try it again with squash, broccoli or cauliflower florets, mushrooms, brussels sprouts, leeks – OMG, almost anything will work!

After making the batter you fry up the vegetables and herbs until they are just tender. They will finish cooking while they bake nestled in a yorkshire pudding style batter.

It’s a great dish for brunch, or served as a side dish; even as a main entree with a side salad. The choice is yours!

Vegetable Pudding Bake

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk (I used 1/2 cup cream and 1/4 cup almond milk)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 small carrots, whole, halved in length or quartered depending on size
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges 
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 small fennel bulb, cored and cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, flour, 2 tablespoons of the mustard, 1 tablespoon of the oil and a generous pinch of salt. Let the batter stand for 15 minutes. 
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Set a steamer basket in a medium saucepan filled with 1 inch of water. Add the carrots, cover and steam over high heat until just tender, about 4 minutes. 
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to a 9-inch-square baking pan and heat in the oven for 10 minutes.
 
4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion, fennel, garlic and a generous pinch of salt and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion and fennel are lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots, tomatoes, basil, thyme, rosemary and the remaining 1 teaspoon of mustard and cook, stirring, until hot, about 1 minute. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. 
5. Pour the batter evenly into the hot pan and scatter the vegetable mixture on top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned. Cut into squares and serve.

(click here) for printable recipe